Former Digital Commissioner Oettinger let big business interests sabotage the project of tearing down of digital borders in key areas, leaving the Digital Single Market project with more holes than Swiss cheese.

The lofty goals the Commission restates in its mid-term review are in blatant contradiction to legislative proposals it has put before Parliament on issues such as copyright and geoblocking:

Censorship tech rather than laws

In a last minute addition to the document, the European Commission continues down a dangerous route by announcing dialogues with industry on censorship technologies. There will be no voice for users and no safeguards to prevent wrongful takedowns or protect freedom of speech and expression. Actual legislation on improving the notice and takedown of illegal content on online platforms in order to protect fundamental rights and due process is off the table.

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With Commission Vice-President Ansip not showing any sign of changing course, it falls to the European Parliament to mend the holes punched into the Digital Single Market by corporate lobbying and deliver on the promise of a borderless online environment that truly benefits the people of Europe.

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